When I scroll through social media, I find myself living vicariously through influencers when they post PR package hauls. On the surface, it seems like one of the biggest perks to having an online platform. I mean, who wouldn’t want a ton of free products? Markets today are highly competitive, with brands constantly launching new products, so sending items to influencers can help companies gain visibility and make their brand stand out.
Social media personalities like University of Alabama alum Darcy McQueeny often post multiple part videos unboxing giant stacks of packages. For McQueeny, these have become some of her most popular videos as many people anxiously await what skincare, makeup or product launch she will open next. Realistically, however, I cannot imagine a world in which someone needs that much skincare. In her most viewed PR unboxing from January 2024, McQueeny featured 20 different beauty brands in just one video of her unboxing.
TikToker Evie Tharpe echoed this, saying that while she is grateful, she already has “the skincare products of a supermodel” and would rather receive PR from “life-survival brands” than more unnecessary products.
PR packages can be an excellent marketing tactic. They offer a chance for a promotion without a brand deal if influencers happen to include the product in a video. In an effort to spread their name, brands will occasionally send influencers outrageous gifts. Many of these packages have sparked controversy because they are viewed as unnecessary or a contribution to overconsumption. Watching influencers unbox dozens of packages or over-the-top gifts makes you wonder: is this level of overconsumption becoming excessive, or should brands continue on this path because it can be effective at times?
Perhaps the most controversial PR package of 2025 was Poppi’s infamous vending machine. As a part of their Super Bowl advertising campaign, the company sent the $25,000 vending machines to several influencers, including Jake Shane and Emilie Kiser, who then shared the gift online.
As reported by The Cut, “the backlash to the campaign was swift with people saying it was gauche to send the machines to a bunch of (presumably) rich influencers.” Many felt as though the campaign was out of touch, and several creators like Alyssa Ege stated that Poppi should’ve sent the machines to fire stations, hospitals and teachers’ lounges. Poppi founder Allison Ellsworth responded by saying the company intends to put the vending machines in community spaces in the future, but consumers weren’t buying her response. Creator marketing has obvious benefits for companies like Poppi, but were consumers right that the vending machines should’ve gone to the public? I believe it would’ve been an excellent way for the brand to give back to supporters who didn’t have a following.
Another viral controversy occurred when Tarte Cosmetics included Hermès Mini Clic Kelly bracelets in a select few of their PR packages. The responses flooded in when other creators received packages from Tarte that did not include the $810 bracelets, but instead only had nameplate necklaces of a much lower value.
People Magazine reported, “Users online reacted with shock to the discrepancies and accused the brand of ‘playing favorites’ with the influencers who received the Hermès bracelets and the others who did not.” Influencers such as Ken Eurich who did not receive the bracelets expressed their disappointment with the brand upon opening the nameplate necklaces.
This is not the first time Tarte has been in hot water with the public. The company has previously faced significant criticism of their over-the-top brand trips. The same critiques that surround these trips often appear in conversations about PR packages, where what is meant to impress audiences can sometimes feel over the top.
Whether they are seen as clever marketing tactics or create fuss across the internet, PR packages play a large role in a company’s relationship with influencers. Many consumers, myself included, wish they could receive these packages as well because honestly, how cool would it be to have a Poppi vending machine in your garage? But let’s look at reality here: there are only so many products one person needs, and the sheer amount influencers are receiving is enough to last more than a lifetime.
